Menlo Park is taking a tempered approach in its request for a review of the fire district’s finances.

At the Oct. 25 City Council meeting, council members considered sharing the cost of hiring a consultant with the town of Atherton, which is planning to launch its own study on the costs of the Menlo Park Fire Protection District to its residents. The consultant will cost between $35,000 and $50,000, according to a Menlo Park staff report, and Atherton has already begun the bidding process.

Councilman Peter Ohtaki, a former fire district board member, argued that Menlo Park isn’t seeking the same information as Atherton. Atherton wants to know how much revenue the fire district receives from Atherton residents, what is the cost of providing basic fire protection and emergency response services within the town’s boundaries, and what would be the cost of providing fire services if the town were responsible for them.

“I am opposed to joining Atherton on all of these … items, but I do support some kind of fiscal analysis on (a fire) impact fee,” Ohtaki said, referring to a fee the fire district wants added into the city’s new General Plan, to offset new commercial growth that plan would allow.

The council opted to table the discussion so that city staff and a council subcommittee made up of Ohtaki and Councilwoman Catherine Carlton could meet directly with fire district officials to hash out an agreement and report back to council by December, but not before addressing the heated nature of communications between Atherton and the fire district in recent months.

“If this feels like an investigation and its approach feels political and investigatory, then I think that’s a poor approach … and I think we’re going to end up just creating another political maelstrom which is just kind of laughable,” Mayor Rich Cline said.

Carlton noted that U.S. Rep. Anna Eshoo, D-Calif., recently issued a letter supporting Atherton’s proposal, but agreed to the tabled discussion. In the letter, dated Oct. 27, Eshoo states, “I believe this is a prudent undertaking of the (Atherton) Council and I support it. Our mutual constituents; through their elected officials should be able to have any and all information as to how their tax dollars are spent and what they receive for them.”

The fire district posts its financial information on its website, but doesn’t break down figures for specific service areas, which include Atherton, East Palo Alto, Menlo Park and unincorporated North Fair Oaks. The district has rebuffed efforts by Atherton to break down that information.

After the council meeting, fire Chief Harold Schapelhouman said he is open to having a frank discussion of its finances with Menlo Park, but was unclear what that conversation would entail.

“I would love to know what they want to know,” Schapelhouman said. “Show me the email, show me the letter that shows what you want.”

City Manager Alex McIntyre on Monday said the city is looking to better understand the district’s financial picture, such as why it is seeking an impact fee on new commercial development and how it intends to spend its reserves, but had not yet issued a letter to the district. At the recent council meeting, McIntyre suggested bringing the item back before council at its Dec. 6 meeting.

“The data’s all there (on the website), the question is what context is the data in?” McIntyre said. “All we’re trying to understand is all of those pieces. … If they say they don’t have enough money, and need more money, OK, but all that should be evident.”

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